Do Silicon Valley Firms Push Back on NSA Requests?

6/14/2013 2:27PM

With more reports coming out about the government seeking user data from tech companies, some companies are trying to explain how they handle such requests. Jennifer Valentino-DeVries joins digits. Photo: Getty Images.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... but what reports coming out about the coveted seeking user data from tech companies some companies are trying to explain ... to how they handle such requests ... here to talk about is Wall Street John reporter Jennifer Valentino DeVries ... interesting story in today's Wall Street Journal about this and he specifically focused on Google ... how's Google handling such requests from the government ... one and it's a very interesting question in terms of how they are able to even talk about this is a big problem for tech companies because ... even orders demands requests ... their secret some of them are even classify ... cities ... means at least a couple of them are trying to ... defend themselves to their customers that ... they are encouraged by and its inability to discuss the requests in awe so we had steel and ... in talking with that our sources at Google in particular ... here they were able to answer questions when the answers applied to and ... all of the requests they handle even the non anime that non classified landslide as opposed to design a question of the prison program which is a specific program meant to target ... of foreigners in many cases yes and and so what will work on about how Gruebel heels that were talk about how to handle any requests not just those that are found that that probably has come too late and eighty three and said they see that need to try to push back from their recent court cases that have back ... pain and feel there are now indicating that the of pushback on that ... similar types of national security requests of national security letters that something so they seem to me ... in facts and ... come back to the agencies and try to narrow the scope of the requests if the fielder to broad they actually look at everything I he ends ... and then it's an intense scene ... process I think ... because it contradicts and ... sunroof a indications in that that earlier disclosures ... and it uses the fire hasn't data ... and and and so I think that's really interesting by for consumers I think is also important to note that ... you know they're not every company is coming out and seeing so they're very well could be ... other much broader ... requests under the law ... and they hear we spoke with Google and Facebook user ... but Facebook and now with the Dallas Facebook similar to for the Goebel ... but they also say that the pushback on these requests in that a similar way ... and that they've been successful in the Passat in narrowing the scope when he and duration of the request under the law these can go on for the year ... and and and and the prison program ... and banks ... you know ... one of our sources at Google said that what they ask for year we might see a wild mainly to just have that firm on three now ... he's insisted the percentage of cases the pushback on or the percentage of success that they had been pushing back I'm not anything that's specific to be the same thing pushback on on quite a few and mostly successful ... and that and ... he'll ... be ... much less frequent me I think and go to court that we do occasionally go to court over the sequester ... will quickly is there any takeaway for consumers ... I he's done everything you do now know from talking with them on Facebook ... well I think he gets away really is that sell when the big public areas with the secrecy ... of Islam and then you ... have requests because ... that means it is a consumer you can know ... Moody's protect TNT that ... you can tell actually what the government is doing is not as a conservative citizens that this makes a really yet ... difficult for people and obviously if there are reasons to some secrecy in bed ... Madsen says that it makes it up and is going to be an area that gets debated for a long time great ... thanks for coming on ... you can read more about this at the beest dot com ... this is been Digits on George stall ...